advice needed on blue jean quilt

Morning all
I have decided that it is finally time to use up the blue jeans I have been
saving for years and would like to do up 2 or 3 quilts before Christmas. I'm
thinking they will be used as beach/lawn blankets or maybe to snuggle under
on a drafty basement couch. So, I'm thinking of backing the denim with
flannel and having rag seams on the denim side with no batting inbetween.
Any thoughts on this? Should I add a light batting or would that be too
heavy? Do the rag seams on denim stand up well to abuse? How big should my
seam allowance be? Any tips from those of you who have already undertaken
this project and have thought "Next time I'd do it 'this' way"?
I almost have enough denim pieces cut for the first quilt now. Will spend a
good portion of today cutting more. Haven't got the designs for the second
and third quilts straight in my head yet so my coffee breaks today will be
spent sketching so I know what pieces I need to cut. Thanks for any advice!


Marigold
Watching a beautiful red sky sunrise in Alberta Canada!

The jeans picnic throws I make don't have any batting just flannel
backing. The one full quilt I made I used a flannel sheet as batting.
It is one heavy quilt!
Anyone ever use fleece as backing? WOnder how that would be.
When you make a jeans quilt you usually end up with more jeans left
over than when you started. I can't figure out how that works. They
seem to multiply and folks find out and want to give you all their
old jeans too.
Taria

Marigold wrote:

Morning all
I have decided that it is finally time to use up the blue jeans I have been
saving for years and would like to do up 2 or 3 quilts before Christmas. I'm
thinking they will be used as beach/lawn blankets or maybe to snuggle under
on a drafty basement couch. So, I'm thinking of backing the denim with
flannel and having rag seams on the denim side with no batting inbetween.
Any thoughts on this? Should I add a light batting or would that be too
heavy? Do the rag seams on denim stand up well to abuse? How big should my
seam allowance be? Any tips from those of you who have already undertaken
this project and have thought "Next time I'd do it 'this' way"?
I almost have enough denim pieces cut for the first quilt now. Will spend a
good portion of today cutting more. Haven't got the designs for the second
and third quilts straight in my head yet so my coffee breaks today will be
spent sketching so I know what pieces I need to cut. Thanks for any advice!


Marigold
Watching a beautiful red sky sunrise in Alberta Canada!

My only concern with a flannel/fleece type backing is if it's used for a
beach or lawn blanket, all the lawn/beach stuff will stick to the flannel.
Even if the denim side is torching the ground. I'd use something cotton and
smooth. You can buy cheap bandannas and piece them together for the
backing. That would look neat with the denim.

"taria" wrote in message
news:Fprid.822$vM2.425@trnddc09...
The jeans picnic throws I make don't have any batting just flannel
backing. The one full quilt I made I used a flannel sheet as batting.
It is one heavy quilt!
Anyone ever use fleece as backing? WOnder how that would be.
When you make a jeans quilt you usually end up with more jeans left
over than when you started. I can't figure out how that works. They
seem to multiply and folks find out and want to give you all their
old jeans too.
Taria

Marigold wrote:

Morning all
I have decided that it is finally time to use up the blue jeans I have
been
saving for years and would like to do up 2 or 3 quilts before Christmas.
I'm
thinking they will be used as beach/lawn blankets or maybe to snuggle
under
on a drafty basement couch. So, I'm thinking of backing the denim with
flannel and having rag seams on the denim side with no batting
inbetween.
Any thoughts on this? Should I add a light batting or would that be too
heavy? Do the rag seams on denim stand up well to abuse? How big should
my
seam allowance be? Any tips from those of you who have already
undertaken
this project and have thought "Next time I'd do it 'this' way"?
I almost have enough denim pieces cut for the first quilt now. Will
spend a
good portion of today cutting more. Haven't got the designs for the
second
and third quilts straight in my head yet so my coffee breaks today will
be
spent sketching so I know what pieces I need to cut. Thanks for any
advice!


Marigold
Watching a beautiful red sky sunrise in Alberta Canada!

On Thu, 04 Nov 2004 14:55:33 GMT, taria
wrote:

The jeans picnic throws I make don't have any batting just flannel
backing. The one full quilt I made I used a flannel sheet as batting.
It is one heavy quilt!
Anyone ever use fleece as backing? WOnder how that would be.
When you make a jeans quilt you usually end up with more jeans left
over than when you started. I can't figure out how that works. They
seem to multiply and folks find out and want to give you all their
old jeans too.
Taria

I'm making one right now, and it has a purple microfleece backing.
The front is alternating jeans squares and purple/white cotton plaid
(not flannel). My friend doesn't really like the frayed look, and
this is going to be her Christmas present, so the seams are inside. I
used 1/2" seams just to be careful. Actually, the quilt is 8 squares
across (7.5" finished) and was meant to be 10 squares down... but when
I went to baste it, the backing wasn't quite big enough. So I frog
stitched one row off, and now that sucker is pin basted. I'll either
make a pillow or two with the extra blocks, or make a pocket to fold
the quilt into.
I never make the sort of pocket where the quilt has to be contorted
and the pocket turned nearly inside out, in order for it to be folded
into the pocket. That places an incredible amount of stress on the
seams. Instead, I make a pocket that is slightly more than 1/3 the
width of the quilt, and place it in the center of the bottom of the
quilt, on the back. The quilt can be folded into thirds lengthwise,
then folded down widthways and into the pocket. No acrobatics, no
seam stress. It works for me.
This quilt took a yard and a half of plaid cotton, but when I use
shirts I can just scrape by for a lap quilt by cutting up 2 shirts and
2 pairs of jeans - a twin-sized quilt will take 3 shirts and 3 pairs
of jeans. This is when I alternate the squares with denim. I have
never made one where all the cotton or flannel squares are backed with
denim because I think that would just be too heavy, and I doubt that
it would fit into a UK washer (they're smaller than the US ones). I
wouldn't want my friends to have to go to the laundromat just to wash
the quilt.
This purple/jeans quilt is my 4th of this type so far, so I feel
that I have learnt a few things along the way!



-- Jo in Scotland

You're right! bandanas would look great with old denim. How come I never
thought of that?
I was using plaid flannel cause I thought it would look good with the denim
but I did wonder about stuff sticking to it.

"KJ" wrote in message
news:Wyrid.363942$D%.207283@attbi_s51...
My only concern with a flannel/fleece type backing is if it's used for a
beach or lawn blanket, all the lawn/beach stuff will stick to the flannel.
Even if the denim side is torching the ground. I'd use something cotton
and
smooth. You can buy cheap bandannas and piece them together for the
backing. That would look neat with the denim.

"taria" wrote in message
news:Fprid.822$vM2.425@trnddc09...
The jeans picnic throws I make don't have any batting just flannel
backing. The one full quilt I made I used a flannel sheet as batting.
It is one heavy quilt!
Anyone ever use fleece as backing? WOnder how that would be.
When you make a jeans quilt you usually end up with more jeans left
over than when you started. I can't figure out how that works. They
seem to multiply and folks find out and want to give you all their
old jeans too.
Taria

Marigold wrote:

Morning all
I have decided that it is finally time to use up the blue jeans I have
been
saving for years and would like to do up 2 or 3 quilts before
Christmas.
I'm
thinking they will be used as beach/lawn blankets or maybe to snuggle
under
on a drafty basement couch. So, I'm thinking of backing the denim with
flannel and having rag seams on the denim side with no batting
inbetween.
Any thoughts on this? Should I add a light batting or would that be
too
heavy? Do the rag seams on denim stand up well to abuse? How big
should
my
seam allowance be? Any tips from those of you who have already
undertaken
this project and have thought "Next time I'd do it 'this' way"?
I almost have enough denim pieces cut for the first quilt now. Will
spend a
good portion of today cutting more. Haven't got the designs for the
second
and third quilts straight in my head yet so my coffee breaks today
will
be
spent sketching so I know what pieces I need to cut. Thanks for any
advice!


Marigold
Watching a beautiful red sky sunrise in Alberta Canada!

If you have a Hobby Lobby or Michaels, watch for sales on their bandanas.
You might even look in the sale section in the drapery section. Some of the
polished cotton type of fabrics might be really fun with denim. A shabby
chic look. They would be wider than bolt cottons. I could see a floral or
even a plaid with the denims. With the weight of the denim and the little
heavier weight of the decorator fabric, you certainly wouldn't need a
batting. You could tie or just tack the fabrics together. Buttons might be
fun too. But maybe a big pain to sew through with heavy fabrics.


"Marigold" wrote in message
...
You're right! bandanas would look great with old denim. How come I never
thought of that?
I was using plaid flannel cause I thought it would look good with the
denim
but I did wonder about stuff sticking to it.

"KJ" wrote in message
news:Wyrid.363942$D%.207283@attbi_s51...
My only concern with a flannel/fleece type backing is if it's used for a
beach or lawn blanket, all the lawn/beach stuff will stick to the
flannel.
Even if the denim side is torching the ground. I'd use something cotton
and
smooth. You can buy cheap bandannas and piece them together for the
backing. That would look neat with the denim.

"taria" wrote in message
news:Fprid.822$vM2.425@trnddc09...
The jeans picnic throws I make don't have any batting just flannel
backing. The one full quilt I made I used a flannel sheet as batting.
It is one heavy quilt!
Anyone ever use fleece as backing? WOnder how that would be.
When you make a jeans quilt you usually end up with more jeans left
over than when you started. I can't figure out how that works. They
seem to multiply and folks find out and want to give you all their
old jeans too.
Taria

Marigold wrote:

Morning all
I have decided that it is finally time to use up the blue jeans I
have
been
saving for years and would like to do up 2 or 3 quilts before
Christmas.
I'm
thinking they will be used as beach/lawn blankets or maybe to
snuggle
under
on a drafty basement couch. So, I'm thinking of backing the denim
with
flannel and having rag seams on the denim side with no batting
inbetween.
Any thoughts on this? Should I add a light batting or would that be
too
heavy? Do the rag seams on denim stand up well to abuse? How big
should
my
seam allowance be? Any tips from those of you who have already
undertaken
this project and have thought "Next time I'd do it 'this' way"?
I almost have enough denim pieces cut for the first quilt now. Will
spend a
good portion of today cutting more. Haven't got the designs for the
second
and third quilts straight in my head yet so my coffee breaks today
will
be
spent sketching so I know what pieces I need to cut. Thanks for any
advice!


Marigold
Watching a beautiful red sky sunrise in Alberta Canada!

I made a blue jeans quilt once and used a red/white stripe sheet for the
back. I did not use a batting. This was for a Q size and it sure was
heavy!
Barbara in FL

The last two denim quilts I made were super easy and very well received.
Rather than doing the rag quilt method again - I hate clipping the seam
allowances - I used a stitch and flip method.

I cut out long strips from my jeans, some 4" wide and some 6" wide. I
stitched these together to achieve my desired quilt length. For backings I
used a plaid flannel. I pinned the first strip to the middle of the
backing, lining up the edge of the denim with a stripe in the plaid for the
full length of the quilt. I laid the second strip down along the raw edge,
and sewed with a 1/2 seam allowance. I used my walking foot to control the
feeding. After the entire strip was stitched down, I pressed it open, then
continued adding strips to each of the raw edges until I filled up the quilt
top. It is easy to use the plaid on the backing to keep the top flat and
properly aligned with the back. After the entire quilt was large enough, I
did a standard double-fold binding.

I can try to do a better job of explaining if I lost you along the way. I
also posted a photo at my Yahoo! Photos page.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jstrau...HlRACBWXGk1kvG

I won't have access to the newsgroup for a few days, so I hope the link
works.

Jennifer in Florida


"Marigold" wrote in message
...
Morning all
I have decided that it is finally time to use up the blue jeans I have
been
saving for years and would like to do up 2 or 3 quilts before Christmas.
I'm
thinking they will be used as beach/lawn blankets or maybe to snuggle
under
on a drafty basement couch. So, I'm thinking of backing the denim with
flannel and having rag seams on the denim side with no batting inbetween.
Any thoughts on this? Should I add a light batting or would that be too
heavy? Do the rag seams on denim stand up well to abuse? How big should my
seam allowance be? Any tips from those of you who have already undertaken
this project and have thought "Next time I'd do it 'this' way"?
I almost have enough denim pieces cut for the first quilt now. Will spend
a
good portion of today cutting more. Haven't got the designs for the second
and third quilts straight in my head yet so my coffee breaks today will
be
spent sketching so I know what pieces I need to cut. Thanks for any
advice!


Marigold
Watching a beautiful red sky sunrise in Alberta Canada!

Flannel is great so is fleece. But depending where you live fleece is
almost too warm. The rag seams hold up great. I would do it again and
yet the was the hardest part for me. But I am so happy with the results.
I use mine on my bed now and I love it. I used 5/8 for the seams because
I wanted more of the rag seams. I have never used a batting in my denim
quilts and I've made I think five of them. Check my quilt album in
webshots. That's the latest one. Ones before that I have done I simply
birthed them with fleece. Just did a straight stitch around the end that
was it. Absolutely fun and mine get a lot of wear and tear. The oldest
is about 6 yrs old and it looks as good as it did the day I finished it.
Through many washings and uses.
Take Care
Joanna
http://community.webshots.com/user/exrules

Marigold wrote:

Morning all
I have decided that it is finally time to use up the blue jeans I have been
saving for years and would like to do up 2 or 3 quilts before Christmas. I'm
thinking they will be used as beach/lawn blankets or maybe to snuggle under
on a drafty basement couch. So, I'm thinking of backing the denim with
flannel and having rag seams on the denim side with no batting inbetween.
Any thoughts on this? Should I add a light batting or would that be too
heavy? Do the rag seams on denim stand up well to abuse? How big should my
seam allowance be? Any tips from those of you who have already undertaken
this project and have thought "Next time I'd do it 'this' way"?
I almost have enough denim pieces cut for the first quilt now. Will spend a
good portion of today cutting more. Haven't got the designs for the second
and third quilts straight in my head yet so my coffee breaks today will be
spent sketching so I know what pieces I need to cut. Thanks for any advice!


Marigold
Watching a beautiful red sky sunrise in Alberta Canada!



--
Remove Quilt to reply

On Thu, 04 Nov 2004 14:55:33 GMT, taria
wrote:

The jeans picnic throws I make don't have any batting just flannel
backing. The one full quilt I made I used a flannel sheet as batting.
It is one heavy quilt!
Anyone ever use fleece as backing? WOnder how that would be.
When you make a jeans quilt you usually end up with more jeans left
over than when you started. I can't figure out how that works. They
seem to multiply and folks find out and want to give you all their
old jeans too.
Taria

I went to the Malden Mills store this morning to buy fleece to back
denim quilts! The 200 series weight works very nicely.
Liz